Employment package for Karnali residents launched
Kantipur Report
KATHMANDU, April 12 - The government has launched a special economic package 'One Family, One Employment' in Karnali zone, under which unemployed persons of the most remote part of the country will be provided a job yielding between Rs 180 to Rs 350 per day.
“The government has already released Rs 125 million for the purpose, which has been disbursed among five districts of the zone based on the number of households,” said Hemant Kharel, member secretary of Central Level Program Coordination Committee of Karnali Employment Project talking to ekantipur.
Of the total amount, Rs 41.64 million has been delivered to Kalikot district, Rs 35.635 million has gone to Jumla district, Rs 18.507 million to Mugu district, Rs 15.574 million to Humla district and Rs 13.019 million has been sent to Dolpa district.
“The amount will now be disbursed among 130 village development committees of Karnali, which will directly benefit around 55,000 households of the largest but most backward zone of the country,” Kharel added.
The budgetary program is the first of its kind introduced in the country that is expected to assist people, who despite having skill and enthusiasm to work, have not been able to generate income due to lack of financial resources.
“Since the application procedures and the process of releasing the funds are uncomplicated, we hope public participation will be overwhelming,” said Kharel.
A manual formulated to implement the program states that in order to be eligible for the scheme, a person must prove that s/he is not employed or the annual income of the person is not enough to feed the family for more than three months.
“The person should form a team with at least five unemployed people of separate families and submit a project proposal,” the manual reads.
Kharel said that the proposal could be of anything from small-scale infrastructure development, self-employment or trade. “If people wish to integrate their program with those run by NGOs or other such organizations, they can do so. However, no extra amount will be made available to purchase any kind of equipment or tools,” he said.
According to Kharel, once the proposal is approved by the committee formed at the VDC level, each person of the group will be handed over 100 days worth of salary to start the work.
Kharel said that the bulk amount will be given based on daily wage structure fixed by the district.
As per the government records, per day wage of Mugu district is fixed at Rs 180. Similarly, per day wage of Humla, Kalikot and Jumla districts stands at Rs 220 each, while per day wage of Lower Dolpa is fixed at Rs 250 and per day wage of Upper Dolpa stands at Rs 350.
“In order to maintain transparency, we have, however, urged the applicants to make public the expenses at regular level,” Kharel said. “If anyone is found misusing the amount, an action committee -- comprising representatives of eight major political parties and other concerned organizations such as the NGOs - formed at VDC level can take necessary action.”
Posted on: 2007-04-11 22:01:12 (Server Time)
